USD Magazine Spring 2026

In recognition of her impact, Antolin, an alumna of New York University (NYU), was awarded the NYU Spirit of Steinhardt Visionary Award in 2024 for her work supporting Afghan women and girls. “I wish my mother could [have] been there to see it,” said Antolin, whose mother passed away shortly before she received the award. “I’m carrying her legacy and the legacy of so many Afghan women who came before me. It was for them, to see a brighter future for Afghan women and girls who might not have had the opportunity they should have. I see my role as helping people access knowledge, dignity and opportunity. That’s what my life’s work has been about — ensuring girls and women who are underrepresented throughout the world are not forgotten and are recognized as leaders and changemakers in their own right.” For Antolin, her changemaking path requires planning and persistence, as well as “creativity, innovation, empathy and courage” — traits fostered during her time on the USD campus. “I want people to know my work may now span Afghanistan and the United States and working alongside the United Nations, but the principles I apply — dignity, equity, systems thinking and ethical leadership — all of it was strengthened by my time at USD and the incredible people and leaders I was surrounded by there,” she said. “Education changes lives, and I truly feel I am living proof of that.” — Allyson Meyer ’16 (BA), ’21 (MBA)

Driven to make a difference, Antolin returned to USD in 2015 to pursue her master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from SOLES. “USD came into my life at a moment when I knew I wanted to grow [my] impact,” she said. “While I started my career focused on the individual student, my time at SOLES challenged me to look at the ‘why’ beyond the structures we navigate.” She graduated with her MEd in 2017 and in 2024 became the executive director of Women for Afghan Women. Now in its 25th year, the nongovernmental organization (NGO) has a core commitment to “advocacy and long-term empowerment” for Afghan women and girls. The organization has two community centers in the United States as well as centers in 11 provinces in Afghanistan. “ USD was a part of the foundation that allowed me to dream beyond borders, to see the possibilities and to become a lifelong learner.”

“My work sits at the intersection of education, gender equality and global justice,” said Antolin. “Women for Afghan Women is the largest global NGO dedicated to serving Afghan women and girls, not just in the United States but also in Afghanistan, where we provide direct services, protection and advocacy.” The organization also serves any immigrant, refugee or family member — regardless of gender — with 10% of their clientele not identifying as Afghan. Working with United Nations agency partners, Women for Afghan Women provides a range of critical services, including protection, legal assistance, and mental health and psychosocial support in Afghanistan. The organization also runs Children’s Support Centers in Afghanistan that house up to 200 children of incarcerated women, providing around the-clock care. “They need support, healthcare and education,” she said. “It’s all included, and it’s such a wonderful way to keep them in the community with other children.” Working with UNICEF, the organization also “rebuilds and renovates schools for children, especially girls who are able to go to school up to the age of 12,” explained Antolin. “A lot of times, these schools are in very severely under-resourced environments, with no running water, seats or desks.”